Rothar Routes

Cycle routes & pilgrim journeys in Ireland and Europe …..

Posts from the ‘Camino’ category

Via Appia Antica

Winter has well and truly arrived and the only cycling I am doing is in my dreams of fine summer days and bike touring! Here is a great shared memory from 2010 on the VIa Francigena with Ronan. Maybe there is another book to follow on from #CyclingSouthLeinster with the Collins Press!

Having cycled from Canterbury along the Via Francigena, we had one more hurdle to negotiate before our flight home. Getting to the airport at Campino with our bicycles.

We decided to depart from the Colliseum and pick up the historic Via Appia Antica, in the hope it would lead us in the general direction of the airport.

It was an incredible last day of cycling. We had the Via Appia to ourselves. It was easy imagine Roman Legions marching up and down this paved road, the earliest of the main arteries to service trade routes across the Empire and transport troops to the front lines. The forced march of prisoners back to the centre of the Empire, the roadside crucifixions of Spartans….out past the catacombs – was this the road the Apostle Peter, first Bishop of Rome, followed back to Rome and his eventual crucifixion?. Staggering history along every kilometre of this road.

Appia longarum… regina viarum“- the Appian Way the queen of the long roads”

As we made our way along the treelined lined cobbled road, a shepherd with his dogs herded his flock of long eared sheep over the roadside ditch and past us on his way to pastures new…. magical memories!

Hard to believe it was 2010 and my plan was to come back and continue to Brindisi with the final destination Jerusalem. One of these days I will get to take up where I left off and resume my pilgrimage to the Eternal City.

 F

When the shadows are long

Without doubt the most comfortable time for cycling or walking on the Camino in the summer months is early morning when shadows are long. The heat on the Meseta in particular can be over powering and an early start is essential. Average temperatures can be 28 – 30 degrees. Start with the sun at your back and head west!

Cycle woes on the Camino

After guiding them for almost 800 kms and reaching the outskirts of Santiago de Compostella, my three amigos abandoned me when my wheel rim suffered excess wearing and split in two! No repair was possible and a replacement wheel was the only option.
Luckily I was within spitting distance of the city and improvised to complete the Camino.
Thanks Alan, Aisling and Mary!

Camino Trail Magic

The route across Spain crosses through so many different terrains; starting by crossing the high Pyrenees and winding slowly westward through magnificent cities, ancient villages, vineyards, cornfields, the meseta and into Celtic Galicia.
Each day is different and always surprising. Here is a short clip of the route in Galicia.

%d bloggers like this: